Machine for treating wool



H. Y. MCBRIDE,

MACHINE FOR REATING WOOL.

APPLlcMloN msn APR. 1o. 19u.

Patented Dec. 2,1919.

7 SHEETS-SHEET l H. Y. McBmDE.

MACHINE FOR TREATING WOOL. APPLCATON FILED AFR. 10. 191 I. L32385. Patented Dec. 2,1919.

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H. Y. McBRIDE.

MACHINE Fon REATlNG wooL.

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H. Y. MCBRIDE.

MACHINE FOR TRE'ATING WOOL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. Io. |917.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

H. Y. McBRlDE.

MACHINE FOR TREATING WOOL.

APPucATloN FILED APR. lo. 19u.

' 1,323,885. Patented Dee. 2,1919.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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H. Y. MCBRIDE.

MACHINE FOR TREATING WOOL.

APPLICATION H LED APR.10.19\7.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

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, d//orr/e/s H. Y. MCBRIDE.

MACHINE FOR mmm@ wooL.

APPLICATION FILED APR.I0. |911.

1 ,323,885. Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

TATS

HIRAIVI Y.. MCBRIIDE, F ARTESIA, NEW MEXICO.

MACHINE kFOR TREATING WOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed April 10, 1917. Serial No. 161,065.

To all whom t may concern: Be it known that I, H IRAM Y. MCBRIDE,

- a citizen of the United States,.residing at ized cleaning or lubricating medium,

' hereafter. l

Artesia, New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Treating Wool, of which the following is a specification. n

The general purpose of the invention is to provide means for combing and cleaning wool in a new and improved manner. To this end, a machine is provided which receives wool continuously, combs and cleans it progressively and discharges itl in a superior straight and clean condition without requiring that the machine shall be stopped in the ordinary course ofoperations to remove from it either accumulated wool or dirt. y Y

VThe most important part of the machine consists of one or more sets of combing devices which simultaneously comb and advance the wool progressively through the machine. lhere more than one set of such devices is employed, the sets are arranged in sequence and usually eachsuccessive set is slightly modified as to structure or speed of operation so as to suitablymodify its action upon the wool in the successive stages of combing.

In connection with this combing mechanism there may be employed in some cases one or more devices for supplying a pulvre.- pending upon the condition of the wool and the results to be obtained, as more fully described later.

n a preferred construction, the last combing mechanism delivers the wool to a beating mechanism, the principal purpose of which is to free the wool from all remaining dust or dirt.

In a preferred constructionV also suitable feeding means are rovided for supplying the wool to the initial combing mechanism. I will now describe an l exemplifying structure embodying the invention, as shown in the accompanying drawing. After considering this embodiment it will be evident to persons skilled in the art that the principles of the invention may. be embodied in many different constructions and I do not limit myself to details. except as vclaimed ioure l a loi'gitiid i section el? 'l e embossing' the im seen;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of one of the combing units.

Fig. 3 is a left side elevation of'one of the combing units. Fig 4 is a right same.

side elevation of the one end of a pair. of combing rolls showing certain details of the gearing.

Fig. 6 is a topv plan of one side of one combing unit showing details of gearing.

Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively, front edge and sideV elevations of combing teeth each embedded in a section of a roll.v

Fig. 9 is a front end elevation of the right hand end of one of the combing units showing the drive pulley and some details of gearing. j

Fig. 10 is a top plan, enlarged, ofa part of a container or pulverized cleaning or Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section ofA ating the agitator therein.

At the front or feed end of the machine is a receiving hopper l, to which wool is supplied, conveniently bypneumatic feed through the pipe 2 from suitable storage bins. In hopper 1 is a conveyer belt 3 which carries the `wool over a shelf 4 to the first combing mechanism. This combing mechanism may conveniently comprise successive units C, C, each of which may comprise a suitable frame 5 of substantially*I boxlike form. Where a plurality of units are employed the adjacent end frame members 5a may be bolted together,l thus producing a combing group of independently constructed units, but all connected to operate continuously and progressively uponthe wool as it passes through them.

Y .Each of the combing units has a plurality of upper combing rolls 6, 6a, 6b, etc., and a plurality of lower conveying rolls 7 7, 7b, etc. These rolls are mounted on shafts 8 and the shafts have journals infsuitable bearings in the sides of the frames 5. Each roll is provided withv a plurality of comb-` ing teeth 9 and the teeth of each roll are arranged to pass between the teeth vof the adjacent rolls. The teeth may preferably be of the formshown in 7 and 8, each having 4a round shank 10' and a flattened blade il, the thinner edges of which are suitably rounded and directed iii thel direction of rotation of the rollerrthat is, Fig;v f7 stese one ef the biases esige' en as is will advance.toward..tlre eye of the observer in therotation of the roll.

The spacing of the teeth on the rollers may be varied to suit Conditions, and the' spacing 1n different ones of the successive cessive units.

In a preferred forni of the invention,

' alli the rollers revolve `continuously to advance the wool through the machine and the combingis effected by running one set offrollers at 'faster -sp'eed'than the other.

For instance, the Vupper rollers run faster'- than the lower rollers. Also, in a preferred construction, the Yspeed of theV rollers yTis increased from the front tow-ard the rear end of each' of the combing. units so as to amplify and'speed up the combing processV progressively as the wool is put into condition to permit this by the action Vof each of the successive combing rolls.

-One suitable arrangement of gearing for effectingVV these purposes will nowjbe yexplained, but it is to be understoodthat the driving connections for the diderent parts may be vari-ed greatly, and the embodiment here given, while the vbest devised up to this 'l time, only one representative construction for' thisv purpose.

Theini-tial combing unit@ has a j-drive uflle, 12, carried bv 'a transverse shaft 13v P y .1

and driven by a belt from any suitable countershaft pulley 14. The `transif'erse sha-ft 13 hasv at its left end (Figs. l3 andr 5) a pin-ion`1-5 which meshes with a gear 16 on the shaft 8 ofthe frstapper combing roll of the unit. Gearinglmeshes with a .gear 17 on the shaft 8 of thefrrst lower combing roll. At the lef-t sidey of the machine (Fig. 3) sprocket and chain connections are provided -tov'drive the first, `third and fifth lowerroll shafts, each at an increased speed in relation tothe ,previous one. For this purpose the initialshaft 8 has a sprocket 18 connected by a chain 19 lto a smaller' sprocket 20l -on the third lower roll shaft. .This

sprocket 20 is -of smaller diameter than sprocket 18. The same` ro-ll shaft has a sprocket 21 connected 'by a chain 22 to a sprocket 23 onfthe yfifth lower rol-l shaft and sprocket 23 is smaller than sprocket 21. Y `The third and fifth lower roll shafts 8 have also .at the left side of the machine gea-rs 24 yeach of which lengages agear 25 of smaller (in this case one-half) diameter." These gears 25 are on the than the ,gear 24.-

Y The proportions thev sprocketand ripper twenty-two.

third and thupper roll'shafts 8 and driveV `'those rolls at aspced greater' (in this case twice greater) than that of the corresponding' lowei` roll. y

At the right hand end ofthe machine (Figs. 4 and 9) the first lower` roll shaft` has 'a' sprocket 26 .connected by a chain 27 with thesprocket 28 on the second roll shaft.

This sprocket 28 is smaller than the sprocket i 26 so that the second vsrraft and its roll 7a are driven Yat a speed greater' than that of Y the first lower' roll 7.- The secondshai't 8,

also has a sprocket 29 driving, by means of a chain 30, a. smaller' sprocket 31 on thc l fourth roll shaft; and by means of another sprocket 32 on said shaft chain 38 drives the smaller sprocket 311 of the sixth or last lower roll shaft of combing'unit C.'

Y The second, fourth andsixth lowerroll shafts atthe rio'ht hand side also have gears 35 each engaging a 'pinion Selonv the corre-Y sponding upper roll shaftyand these ninions 36 are smaller, specifically one-halfthe size of, gears 291, to 'drive thenpper'rolls twice the speed. of the corresponding lower rolls. this arrangement the first upper and lower' rolls 6 and 7 ar Y driven atY the same speed since they are connected by 16VV and 17 of the same diameter. 'faking' a certarn. speed as an example, these rolls Vmay runat the rate of ten revolutionsV minute. Y

gearing jrrstlabovc described kare such :tl rt rnY the secondcouple of rolls, consisting of per roll Gland lower' rollffhe lowerV roll` ythe Y peeds makes eleven revolutions per minute This'relation o Vs lscontinned throughout the remaining'couples of rolls, Thus, of the third set,v lower roll 7b .makes twelve revolutions and upper roll 6l. twenty-four per minute. Of the fourthlset, the roll 7 makes thirteen revolutions and roll 6b twenty-'si,24./ (lf the fifth set, roll 7b makes fourteen Vrei/olutions and roll 6d twenty-eight; of tlre'sixth set, roll "6' makes fifteen revolutions androll Ge thirty. `Wool fed to the first set of rolls and 7 is seized and fed bythe te'etlrthereon to the loo second set, 6a, 7a. The teethV of the upper"Y roll ofrthis set move twice Vas fast yas those of the lower set and in the same direction so Y that the wool is. advanced yby this set of rolls and is stretched and combed by the ripe per teeth in a forward direction while relatively' retarded Yby the lower teeth. rilhi's action is repeatedby each successive pair of rolls, the combing and stretchino' action, howeveiybeing acceler ated";pr'ogr by the increasedspeed of the sncce. of rolls. The wool is v thus."combedv and straightened out at first withA a relatively gentle action to avoid breaking or injuring the fibers, and. then with an action of inf creasing speed and vigorousness as the wool becomes relatively st 1aighter and smoother1 and is capable of being properlyl Worked faster.

At the same time'the mat or fleece of the Wool becomes thinner as it progresses since the later rolls, by reason of their increased speed, handle a greater amount of Woolin unit time.

At the discharge end of the combing unit C, is a gate or passage 37, through which the Wool passes over a shelf 38, which preferably has its inner end 39 slotted to form fingers which t between the teeth of roll 7 c to assist in removing the Wool therefrom. At the top of discharge opening 37- is a plate' 39 similarly'formed with fingers 40 projecting between the teeth of the roll 6e for a similar purpose.

Vhere a second combing unit C is employed, as in Fig. 1, the Woolzgoes directly to it through-an opening` 40' and is then Worked upon by a series of rollers substantially the same as previously described, but Where necessary or desirable provided with differently arranged teeth, as previously mentioned, and also usually driven at a higher initial speed, so that in one example, to conform with the specic description of unit C, the lower rollers of unit C', beginning at the front Will run at speeds of 16, 17, 1S, 19,20 and 21 revolutions per'minute. lThe action of the second unit or` of other successive units, when employed, is to more completely stretch, straighten and comb the wool and reduce in thickness the iiecce as it advances toward the discharge point.

VFor the purpose of more eectively com ing it, the Wool before being delivered tothe combing machine, as for instance by pneumatic feed pipe 2, is placed in bins or'is manipulated in different Ways in the presence of a dry cleaning agent to .primarily absorb a large part of the grease and suint and remove a large part of the dirt carried bv rarT Wool, such as burs, manure and earthly matter. A suitable dry cleaning agent for this purpose which produces admirable results is finely divided, more or less dehydrated, gypsum. ln some cases a large `part or all of the gypsum and extraneous 'u'iattermay be removed from the Wool by beaters or other suitable devices, lbefore it is delivered to thefeeding hopper 1 of the combing machine; but according to another mode of treatment the Wool may go to the feed hopper combined with more or less of the cleaning agent. it also usually impossible to remore, by preliminar;v treatment before combing, all of the extraneous material, and the Wool going toy the. hopper 1 Will in most cases cenfain, in spite of any preliminary treatment, more or less extraneous matter, such p s burs, vegetable ber, manure, etc. 1

To provi le for thev discharge ofdirt in process nf combing, the combing units are `To insure proper delivery preferably provided With perforated or grated bottoms 41. As the Wool iscombed and separated, the extraneous matter is loosened and is discharged throughthe grated bottoms 41 and removed traveling conveyers 42 toV a discharge pipe 43 for suitable disposition.

ln some cases it may be desirable to add to the wool in the process of combing a cleaning agent, suc-li as gypsum, or a smoothing and lubricating agent, such as talcum, and for this purpose, at one or more points adjacent tothe combing units, hoppers 44 are provided to hold thismaterial, which may be designated broadly as Working medium. The hopper has a perforated bottom 45 through which the medium is discharged,'in this embodiment through a passage 46, and is deposited upon the Wool as it passes over the intermediate shelf 38. of the medium, the hopper may be.provided with an agi tator 47 having blades 48 to loosen the material, and other blades 49 to move close to the foraminous bottom 45. Fig. 10 shows this agitator 47 providedwith an extended n shaft 48 fixed against rotation but capable of reciprocating motion. A gear 49 is driven from any other suitable gear device of the machine and rotates an arm 50 which carries a cam follower 51' engaging cam slot 52 on cam 53, fixed on the end of shaft 48. rhe gear 49 is fixed against end motion and as it revolvesit causes cam roller 51 to reciprocate the cam and shaft 48- and so to reciprocate the agitator 47.

Evidently, when desired, a hopper 42 with other necessary parts might be placedadjacent to the feed end of the first combing unit C. In cases where the condition of the Wool requires it, one or more ofthe hoppers may be provided with suitable pulverized cleaning material, such as gypsumand in that case the Wool is `combed and VWorked thoroughly in the presence of cleaning material which, with its contained grease, suint and other extraneous matter, is discharged through the VVgrated bottoms 41 and moved by the conveyer 42. lllhether the gypsum` is supplied tothe Wool er not during combing', one or more hoppers 44 may be supplied With smoothing or lubri- 1 rating material, suchr as pulverized talcum.

Tale-um will usually be supplied toward the end of the combing process and when. so supplied smooths-and lubricates the fibers of the wool, which are thus enabled to slip more readilyupon each other, and the last part of the combing operation is thus fai cilitated.

ln many cases it is desirable at the end of the combing operations to treat the wool to completely rannore any remaining dust or extraneous matter therein, such as ref maining gypsum, or talcum, 'when tl'iosc 'Working medium have been erriployed. Fer

prises a frame 54 suitably secured in re` lationtothe last combing unitl C@ From the discharge opening 55 of 'the combing Y unit the Wool passes through an opening 56 to a conveyor belt 57, provided on its outer sii-rtace .with rearwardly inciined teeth S. V- This ybelt is supported on rollers 59 suitably driven and the upper surface oit it traveis in the direction indicated bythe arrow close to a grated member 60.A Below the beltthe Wool passage at this point is also provided'` with a gratedv bottom 61. Above the grated top member 60 is a hood 62 from which air is exhausted through a pipe 63 and suitable yexhaust mechanism not shown. Iny this way, a strong draft of Vair is induced through the Wool and alarge part of the dust therein is removed through the pipe 63. iFrom the toothed belt 57 the Wool passes between rolls 64 having teeth which are inclined' rearwardly at their meeting faces. The Wool 'is thus brought into contact with the teeth 65' of large drum 66, which revolves as indicated by the arrow. The 'forward-ly inclined teeth 65 take the Wool from feed rollersaand move itvvithin the'housing'67 to engagenfient"with a rotary agitating, bunching 0r ftluiing device Y 68,

consisting-of ya rol-l mounted on shaft 69 and provided with teeth 70 inclined rearwardly to the direction of rotationof the rol-l. In one embodiment the large drum 66 is run a'ta speed of 11.0 revolutions a minute and the agitator or punching'dev-ice is run at 2'0- revolutions per minute. This serves to reta-rd 4and thicken the ieece and at the same time loosen it, so ast-o permit the more ready `iinal discharge of dust by the operation of the bea-ter.' The housing 67, adjacent to the a-gitating or punching device 68, vis provided with perforations 71. .Y

At the rear of' drum 66 is the beater 72 mounted on ,a shaft 73 and in one embodiment designed to runat 440 revolutions a minute. The -beater is provided with 'a plurality off beater flaps 74, Which may be of leather,y and the edges of these aps are slit to vfit between the teeth of drum 66. beater is run at such a surface speed that the edges of the beater flaps move considera'bly faster than theteeth of the drum and the beater therefore removes the Wool from the drum and yWhirls it around in the housing 75 and beats the remaining dust from the Wool', a large part of this dust being discharged through the perforated bottom 76. The finally cleaned Wool is thrown out of the discharge opening 77 bythe blowing -action of the beater.

Details ofv driving connections for parts The member of each pairrbeing greater than the other and the speed? of the Vcorrespond-ing member of each successive pair being than that of the preceding pair.

2. In aV machine for treating woohcombing mechanismcompris'ing sets of ydieizen tially speeded toothed members for adv-vancgreater f ing Wool continuously andother toothedv members designedl to act upon the same Wool 1n the same direction but at greater speeds to straighten and comb the Wool as: itadvances.

3. In al machine for treating Wool, the combination of a housing'a set of differed tially speeded toothed rollers substantially in line therlein, and another set kof diiferentially speede'd toothed rollers substantially in line, and means for driving thetvvo sets of relis so that their adjacent toothed faces acting on the same Wool move in the vsame direction but the rollers oi" one set ymove faster than the corresponding onesiof Athe other set to pull, stretch andv straighten the Woolasitadvances. Y Y

4. In a machine fortreating Wool, comb.7V ing mechanism comprising a set of toothed relis of which successive ones are driven :Easter than the preceding ones, vandanother set of toothed rollscoperating with the first set and driven so thatl adjacent .faces of rolls ofthe diiierent sets travel inthe same direction, but y'each roll oi' the second set is driven considerablyfaster than the,V`

that eachjsuccessive one travels faster than f thek succeeding one, another setof rolls of number to correspond with the iirst',set,

means for driving the second set of Vrolls so y that eiach'successlveV one travels faster than the succeeding one, the ratio of `increase of speedbetween the rolls of the second set being greater than that of the iirst.

6. In a machine for treating Wool, the

combination of a housing-having a perforated bottom, a row of roll shaftsA journaled in the housing and each carrylng a Vtoothed roll, a second row of rolll shafts substan-v tially parallelpto the first journaled in the housing and carrying another set of toothed rolls to cooperate With the first set, means for driving the first set of vshaftsin the same direction and means fordriving the whereby wool second set of shafts in the opposite direction and at higher speeds than those. of the lirst, is advanced between the sets of rolls and simultaneously stretched and combed. i

7. In a machine for treating wool, the combination of a lirst pair of rolls, means for driving them at the same speed to initially feed wool, other successive pairs of combing rolls driven at greater speeds7 one oit the rolls of. each successive pair being driven at substantially greater speed than the other roll of the pair.

8. In a machine :t'or treating wool, the combination of mechanism for combing and advancing wool in the form of a relatively flat continuous leece7 and beating mechamsm-comprising a toothed drum, a retarder coperating with the drum to bunch or fluithe wool, a housing and a rotary beating device therein having flexible flaps to remove wool from the drum and beat it Withinthe housing. f

9. In a machine for treating wool, the combination of mechanism for combing and advancing wool in the form of a relatively flat continuous fleece, and beating mechanism comprising a toothed drum, a retarder cooperating with the drum to bunchv or fluff the wool, a housing and a rotary beating device' vtherein having flexible flaps to remove wool from the drmand beat it within the housing, the action of the beater serving constructed also to eject the wool through a discharge opening in the housing.

10. In a machine for treating wool, the

'combination of a plurality of pairs of toothed 'substantially greater speed than its companion cylinder.

11. In a machine for treating Wool, the combination of a plurality of combing units, each vunit comprising a plurality of pairs of toothed cylinders, one of the cylinders of each pair being driven at greater speed than the other, and successive pairs of cylinders in the direction of progression of the wool being driven at greater speed than preceding ones, means for supplying pulverized cleaning or lubricating l'material intermediate two of said units, and beating mechanism posteriorV to the last combing unit tov ree the wool from the cleaning orr lubricating material.

I-IIRAM Y. MCBRIDE. 

